You need a LOT of help to win your bike or transit goals– give people ways to help you
“How can I help?” is one of the best things a person can ask you– have meaningful answers for them!
Last week I organized a rapid response event where ~150 people including community leaders and press turned out within ~6 hours. It was a strong example of the truth that when you put out a loud enough call about your vision for your community, people will respond.
Whether you want a protected bike lane network, reliable & frequent transit, or traffic circles at dangerous intersections; when you spread the word deep enough into your community, some people will say “sounds good, how can I help?” That is a pivotal moment in your campaign, and you must seize that opportunity by giving folks options for ways they can meaningfully help. When you have a good answer to that question, you significantly up your chances of getting the help you need, and you bring that person deeper into your organizing effort. You should (almost) never say “no” to an offer of help.
As the organizer, that means you should always have an answer to the question of “how can I help?” and ideally be able to tailor it to the person asking. After all, the person offering to help isn’t a generic person, they are a unique person bringing in unique skills & experiences to bear. The answer should also match the moment and have a strong answer to why that bit of specific help is needed at that moment.
That might sound complicated, but fortunately, there are some things you will almost always need and so you can keep those answers handy. You’ll almost always need:
People to show up at an event or take action (like signing a petition)
Help spreading the word about an event or action
Money (uninspiring, but true)
But when people are motivated and asking how they can help, they probably already know to do those things– they are asking you how they can go deeper. Help them go deeper in their help by giving them clearer direction and ownership of an aspect of the project.
For example, last week, when the big menorah in Oakland was smashed by a jerk or two, I put out the call for people to join me for an interfaith, intersectional, menorah lighting that’s for everyone against bigotry and oppression everywhere. A LOT of people responded asking how they could help. It was a beautiful showing of solidarity. Folks already knew they should come and spread the word, so I asked people specifically to put the invite out to text groups or to organizations that I’m not plugged in to. By giving direction to the request for support– in this case “post the invite into the text groups you're in” – it helped more people take specific helpful action.
Additionally, people brought in all sorts of special skills to help out. One friend is a graphic designer (I’m very much NOT a graphic designer) and they offered to make a flyer. Others helped edit the flyer. Others offered to get a vibe support crew together for the event. Others made sure to bring some food to share. Others led songs & brought song sheets. Others brought poster-making materials and others stayed behind and helped clean up.
Sometimes people offered specific things (like the vibe support crew, I hadn’t even thought about that), and all I had to do was say yes and provide a little logistical info. Others asked what was needed and I asked them what sort of skills they wanted to bring in.
The key thing when you’re an organizer is to create the funnel so you can catch all the support coming your way and channel it into something helpful. That way people are able to bring in their energy and add it to the “stone soup” of community organizing. The outpouring of support can be overwhelming sometimes, especially when it’s around something emotionally charged like a rapid response vigil for a traffic violence fatality. But delegating, empowering, and trusting others will help you create something that can channel the flood of support.
In the world of bike and transit activism, it can often feel more like you’re dealing with just a trickle of support and not an overwhelming flood. The same principles apply, and the more adept you get at converting offers of help into meaningful impact, the more offers for help you’ll get.
The world is filled with people who want to help and are looking to make a difference. Make it easy for them to help you in a meaningful way and you’ll get a lot more help than you mighpect.
Want heo devise a strategy and build the skills in your campaign for better transit and or safer streets? I’m here to help! Whether you want a 1-on-1 training session or a group workshop, let’s talk. Email me at Carter@carterlavin.com to set something up. Here’s a bit about what training sessions are like.
My piece, “Bike Lanes Vs. The Carceral State” is up in Convergence Magazine, check it out. Big thanks to Haleema Bharoocha, Bryan Culbertson, and Marcy Rein for their edits & feedback
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